The Daily Dose

Get Real

_{Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled. – Psalms 6:2}

 The majority of people that live in our world today are quick to judge others, but when it comes to their own shortcomings or sins, they find every excuse in the book to justify their own actions.  People generally have very little grace to give others because they are so busy giving it to themselves.  Overall, the mentality of the society we live in think that what they are doing wrong is ok for them.  You can hear the excuses they make justifying their behavior.  Phrases like: “God knows my heart” or “I’m a work in progress.”  I think we all have heard people say: “The devil made me do it.”  Or even “Who are you to judge me?”  There are even some that would quote scriptures like: “We are under grace, not the law” and “saved by grace, not works.”

Even worse, instead of confessing the sin and asking God for forgiveness, they tell God the same excuses.  What?  Don’t you think that God knows the truth?  Sin is sin and He wants us to call it what it is and get far from it.  As long as you try to justify your actions, that sin will disguise itself so you cannot even identify it when it comes around.

While most of the excuses listed above may be true and some even scriptural, these cannot make your heart right with God.  These words will only sooth your conscience for a short while, but in the end, you are protecting that action and trying to hide it from God your Father. 

David’s approach to his sin was different than that in today’s reading.  His was a prayer of humility and repentance.  David got real with God.  He started this Psalm with recognizing that he had offended and even stirred up God’s anger by his sin.  As he came to God, he asked that God have mercy on him because he is weak.  We are talking about David, probably the mightiest warrior in the bible, in this chapter confessing that he is a weak person and needs God’s help.

It would have been easy for David to justify that he was the king so it was ok. The king can do whatever he wants and you better not question him. Instead, David was honest with himself and honest with God and as he concluded his prayer of repentance, he was confident that the Lord had heard his voice and received his prayer to forgive him.  When he left that place of repenting and getting forgiveness, he knew that he could get up from there and go forward on his mission for God.

Today I want to encourage you to get real!  Be honest with yourself when you miss it and run to your loving heavenly Father for forgiveness.  When you confess your sin is not when God finds out about it.  He already knows, so go ahead and admit it to yourself and receive the cleansing He died to get for you.  You do have the power to forgive others and you do have the strength to turn yourself over to the mercy of God. Only when you get honest with yourself will you find true repentance.

Today’s scripture reading: Psalms 6

1 O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure.

2 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled.

3 My soul also is greatly troubled; But You, O Lord—how long?

4 Return, O Lord, deliver me! Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake!

5 For in death there is no remembrance of You; In the grave who will give You thanks?

6 I am weary with my groaning; All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears.

7 My eye wastes away because of grief; It grows old because of all my enemies.

8 Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity; For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.

9 The Lord has heard my supplication; The Lord will receive my prayer.

10 Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled; Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly.

Plain and Clear

Lord, I have so many enemies! Lead me to do your will; make your way plain for me to follow.  Psalms 5:8

 I have prayed a prayer like this for many years.  When I am not sure what is the right thing to do in a situation or when I need direction about a next step or an open door.  I thank my Father in heaven for making the plan plain and clear to me.  That it becomes so obvious that I cannot miss it.  Because I have made so many unwise decisions in my past based on circumstances surrounding me or just selfish desires, I do not want to ever do that again.  If I am face with a predicament or decision that I am not 100% confident of His direction, I begin to pray that He makes the way easy to see and places the desire in my heart to go that way.  Truthfully, up until this very moment I didn’t know there was actually a scripture that I had been praying all along.  I know that it was effective because He always shows me the way when I pray this way.

I know that it is no coincidence that this verse came up today of all days.  Like I said I have prayed if for years, but today I was praying with a friend who is going through a struggle right now.  Her story is similar to mine in that she wants to follow God so closely now.  I had encouraged her to Thank God that He makes His way plain and clear for her to follow so that she is assured to make the right choices coming up and even further down the road.

Chances are everyone reading this is dealing with something in life that they just don’t know quite the right way to handle.  I highly recommend praying this scripture over your situation and also preparing yourself to follow as soon as it is clear which way to go.  If you struggle once you know, it is okay. Simply begin to thank Him for His grace to empower you to do the right thing and go His way.  I promise you; you will never regret it and it will be an open door to the next wonderful blessings He has planned for your life.  Just keep following Him step by step and it will not take long for your confidence to become so strong that you know that you are completing the mission He designed for you before you were even born.

Today I want to encourage you if you are struggling with a decision in life and don’t know exactly the right choice to make, begin to pray this scripture over you situation.  If you are at a fork in the road and don’t know which path to follow, thank Him that He is leading you in the path of righteousness and that He is clearing the way for you.  Another translation says: Smooth out Your road in front of me, straight and level, so that I will know where to walk.  Thank Him for smoothing out the direction you should follow and that you know where to take the next step because it is straight and level. He is clearing the way for you, but it is not always automatic for you to follow.  You must stay closely tuned into His direction, so you don’t get distracted with the activities and pleasures of this life.  Only Then will you be able bask in the promise of verse 12 of this chapter that says: You, O Lord bless the godly and surround them with your shield of love.

Today’s scripture reading: Psalms 5

1 Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation.

2 Give heed to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I will pray.

3 My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.

4 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with You.

5 The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity.

6 You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

7 But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.

8 Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight before my face.

9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; Their inward part is destruction; Their throat is an open tomb; They flatter with their tongue.

10 Pronounce them guilty, O God! Let them fall by their own counsels; Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against You.

11 But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name be joyful in You.

12 For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

Worthlessness

How long, O you sons of men, will you turn my glory to shame How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood? Selah  Psalms 4:2

 There are very few things in this world that are worthless.  Some things can only be purchased with money, which makes them worth their price to the one who buys.  Even free things have value and worth to the one receiving.  Whether it is a benefit or gift, there is always a price that was paid by someone.  There is pretty much some use and worth to every tangible thing in the world around us.  Even dirt is important to grow and produce food and plant life.  The air, though it cannot be seen in essential to life.  I am thankful that it has not been discovered yet how to charge for that.

In the reading today, it speaks of loving worthlessness.  It defines worthlessness by what a person is seeking, putting energy into and pursuing in life. Most of the time that can be easily identified by where people spend their lives.  If they are pursuing a life of idleness and ease, it is evident in their habits of not going out to be a contribution to society.  They love worthlessness.  On the opposite side of that is pursuing riches and a life of luxury and leisure.  It seems like that life is full of worth based on the amount that is in the bank or worldly investments, but in chasing after those things as the ultimate goal in life, all ends in worthlessness.

Depending on what is done with wealth and funds you have worked hard to earn is how you can truly identify the worth of a person’s daily efforts.  If working is important just to be comfortable in this world and to play all of your days, that is what the Psalmist is calling worthlessness.

The rest of this chapter gives some clear directions on how to pursue things that are valuable.  This is not to say that you should not work and pursue work when you do not have a job. Doing your best for your employer and contributing to the good of a community through employment is directed in scripture and a godly principal to follow.  But the instruction in this Psalm is different than that.  It gives us some clear ideas what to be doing in our down time.

Vs.3 – call on God

Vs. 4 – it is ok to be angry, but do not let it lead to sin.  Also meditate God’s Word in your heart when you are laying down to rest or sleep.  Be still (not scrolling)

Vs. 5 – sacrifice desire for personal fame for a right relationship with the God of heaven.  Put your trust in the Lord in every area of life.

Vs. 6 – seek God’s favor instead of man’s approval

Vs. 7 – God’s gladness is worth more than all natural increase

Vs. 8 – When you pursue these things, you will lay down each night in peace and sleep soundly.  God alone keeps you living in safety.  He is the most worth-y pursuit for all people.

On paper, these things do not look like they should be hard to seek after, but in reality, it will take some focused attention and intentionality.  Here are some practical ways that you can be assured that all your pursuits are not worthlessness.

1. Spend time talking with and reaching out to your heavenly Father everyday you are alive.
2. Don’t let anger make decisions for you but rather look to God’s Word for solutions to any conflicts. Selah
3. Spend time each day meditating some of God’s Word.  Write out a scripture in the morning that the Holy Spirit puts on your heart and then take it with you and read it before you take time to look at your phone.
4. Ask the Holy Spirit to direct you each day to encourage someone who needs it.
5. Turn every area of your life over to God for direction and protection
6. Ask the Holy Spirit each day how you can be helpful in the plan of God for today.

Today I want to encourage you to pick one of these practical steps to start pursuing a life of worth and value.  Begin your day talking with and communing with your Father in heaven.  Take a scripture with you through the day to meditate as time permits and make a concentrated effort to consider what you are pursuing the things you are going after.  Then, encourage others along the way.  Commit to living all areas of you life by the power and direction of God’s Word and His Spirit and check in often with Him to stay on track.  Don’t let the end of your days here in this world end without purpose and value.  Instead, Seek first God’s Kingdom and His righteousness.  Then everything He adds to you will count for all eternity.

Today’s scripture reading: Psalms 4

1 Answer me when I pray, O God, my defender! When I was in trouble, you helped me. Be kind to me now and hear my prayer.

2 How long will you people insult me? How long will you love what is worthless and go after what is false?

3 Remember that the Lord has chosen the righteous for his own, and he hears me when I call to him.

4 Tremble with fear and stop sinning; think deeply about this, when you lie in silence on your beds.

5 Offer the right sacrifices to the Lord, and put your trust in him.

6 There are many who pray: “Give us more blessings, O Lord. Look on us with kindness!”

7 But the joy that you have given me is more than they will ever have with all their grain and wine.

8 When I lie down, I go to sleep in peace; you alone, O Lord, keep me perfectly safe.

He lifts up my head

But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head.  Psalms 3:3

I remember some low times in my life and at one point, I figured out that if I lifted my head up and looked up to the sky, it just made me feel better.  I can’t explain it.  Maybe it helped me to see that there was a bigger picture than what I was going through or maybe it was just looking beyond the world I was in at that point in time.  After that, I started noticing that when I was down, my head was down, and I was looking at the ground.  With just a simple shift in my posture, suddenly, things didn’t feel so bad for me in those days.  I know it was right around that time when I first came across this verse in Psalms 3.  He is the One Who shields me and the One Who lifts up my head.

Now I understand that God gave me the strength and the grace to look up and look beyond all those years ago when I was struggling with life.  He was the One Who made a way for me and He was the One Who carried me through.

This has since become one of my favorite Psalms.  I also like to remember it while I am going to sleep to remind myself that He will sustain me while I am sleeping and make sure I get back up as long as I have work to do here in this world.

The chapter ends with the promise of God’s blessing on His people.  Even though I see His blessings surrounding me every day, I use this passage to help me remember to thank Him for His protection and that He hears me when I talk to Him. 

Lastly, don’t forget the “Selah.”  Even though we are only three chapters into the book of Psalms, this is the first chapter that uses the word Selah.  Usually, I notice it at the end of the chapter, but this one has the word in it three times, which seems unusual to me and the only reason I noticed it was because I am writing about it.  Up until today, I thought the word was only at the end of a chapter.  The word quite literally means: Stop and take a minute to think about what you just read and what the Holy Spirit is showing you in the scripture above.

In this chapter, it is at the end of verse two, four and eight. To me that seems repetitive and if it was at the end only, you would stop to consider the entire eight verses.  However, since it is in three places, I consider that there is a continuing thought to meditate.  So, verse 2 says that many people say to me that there is no help for him in God.  Verse four and eight seem to be the answer to the writer’s consideration of what the world around is throwing at him.  Even though people are telling him that God cannot help the situation or the person he is praying for, the writer reminds himself that he knows that when he cries to the Lord his God, God always shows up and has blessings for His people. Meaning that whatever he is praying about and talking to God about, God has a good answer in the situation.

Now that I consider these three different “selah” verses together, it speaks to me, almost like a secret message.  I know this might not always be the case, but consider that “selah” is there for you and when you take the time to stop and ponder what was said, it could be the answer you are looking for at that very moment.

So today I want to encourage you to look for the part of this chapter that stands out to you.  Spend some time reading it over and see what blessing the Holy Spirit is giving you in the passage.  Consider the verses with “selah” at the end and ask the Holy Spirit if there is anything in them for you, today.  Also, remember that when you are feeling down or disappointed, look up and see if that doesn’t help you to see beyond the circumstances you are up against right now in life. Then, thank Him for His blessings that He is continually pouring out on you and that you will recognize each one of them today.

Today’s scripture reading: Psalms 3

1 Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! many are they who rise up against me.

2 Many are they who say of me “There is no help for him in God.”

Selah

3 But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head.

4 I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill.

Selah

5 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.

6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.

7 Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.

8 Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people.

Selah

Mission Accomplished

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.  Matthew 10:16

Have you ever dreamed about being a superhero?  Someone who rescues lost and hurting people?  Someone who comes on the scene at just the right moment in time to pull others out of trouble and give them hope again? 

In today’s reading, Jesus sent His disciples to rescue the lost sheep of Israel.  The way Jesus explained the mission to he disciples made it pretty clear that it was going to be a tough assignment.  He told them that they would be persecuted, delivered up to councils, scourged in their synagogues and brought before kings and governors.  He wrapped up the details of the journey by saying they would be hated by all because of Jesus’ name, but to endure through it all to the end, then they would be saved.

This does not sound like good news to me, but if I take a closer look at the text, there is a couple subtle words of His message to keep them inspired along the way.  First of all, He told them that they are going out as sheep among wolves.  Even though this is a frightening picture, He explained that they could be smarter than the wolves and still be harmless as doves.  By their subtle clever methods, they would be able to gather some lost sheep without even being noticed by the “wolves” waiting to devour them.

Next, He encouraged them that when they are brought before their persecutors, don’t worry about what to say because the Holy Spirit will speak in them.  Lastly, He assured them that the covered things would be revealed, and the hidden will be seen.  It will all be clear and plain to them at just the right moments.

My question in this part of Jesus’ ministry has always been:  Why would they want to go after He told them about all these awful things that could happen?  However, after reading it this morning, it reminded me of something out of a spy movie.  It is like when the hero gets the mission they are told: Here is your mission.  If you choose to accept it, there will be dangers and troubles along the way.  You will have to go out among wolves that want to destroy you.  You will be brought before councils and kings.  But don’t worry about that, your advocate will let you know what to say to them.  Even your family members may rise up against you and you will be hated by all people because of the name you are doing the mission in.  But hang in there until the end and you are guaranteed to accomplish what you have been sent to do.  Now, having changed my perspective, it sounds pretty exciting!  Just like in the theatre, The leading role gets to save the day, or in this case bring others to the Savior.

So now comes the most exciting part!  You have actually been given a mission too!  If you choose to accept it, you can be guaranteed there will be troubles and dangers along the way.  It is an important mission intended to rescue many people.   Stick with your mission and the One who sent you, so your mission will be accomplished, and you will be able to rejoice with Him in the end.

Today I want to encourage you to accept your mission.  Go before your Heavenly Father and tell Him you are ready to go.  Wait for your instructions and prepare for the dangers ahead.  Watch for the warning and be wise to the traps of your enemy.  Do not be afraid when you are confronted, the Holy Spirit, your divine Commander, will give you the right responses.  Then endure, press on and continue until you have successfully rescued the ones assigned to you.  It will be exciting, and you will have some troubling times along the way.  But it will all be worth it because it will be the greatest adventure you have ever been on and at the end you will be able to say: “Mission accomplished.”

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 10:16-26

16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.

18 You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

19 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak;

20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

21 “Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.

22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

23 When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.

25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!

26 Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

 

Freely give

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.  Matthew 10:8

I’m sure we all remember the plans of our lives that got cut short in the year 2020.  As news of a pandemic pummeled our country and abruptly shut it down, many became shut in by fear.  Only a short time later, the entire nation was caught in the upheaval of an ethnic conflict.  Then came the climate disruptions all over the world.  There were floods, cyclones, Hurricanes and wildfires threatening all around us.  Right in the middle of this great worldwide turmoil, I was praying in a church meeting that had gathered for prayer.  I asked the Lord: “Lord, the world is such a mess, how are we as believers and the body of Christ ever going to be able to make a difference in the chaos?  How are we going to bring your love to a world gone mad?”  I heard the answer in my heart almost immediately.  I know it wasn’t an audible voice, but if I had been alone, I might have thought it was.  It was probably the clearest and quickest answer I had ever gotten in my life.  He said:

“Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons.  Freely you have received, freely give it to others!”  Wow!  I knew this was a scripture, so I immediately looked it up to see who had this direction in scripture.  Here it is in today’s text, Jesus, giving the authority to do these things, to His disciples.  Jesus told His disciples to reach the lost sheep of Israel by touching their infirmities in life.  If they are sick, give them health.  If they are diseased, give them cleansing. if they are dead, give them life.  The disciples had received these things freely and should give them to others the same way, expecting nothing in return.

My heart felt hope almost immediately.  He was telling me; I could make a difference just by giving to others the things that I had already freely received from Him.  I have been given new life, I have been given forgiveness, I have been given freedom from my past and I have been given divine protection from harmful things around me.  I have been given the promises of God!  Now I freely share these with others every opportunity that He gives me.  It’s not that I make a spectacle of myself to get the message of salvation out. But it is that I love people with the love that God my Father has given me.  If they need healing, I pray for them.  If they need financial help, I give to them or help them secure income.  If someone needs a place to stay, I invite them into my home.  Whatever the need, I do what I can to let them know they are important to me because they are important to God!

Today I want to encourage you to freely give what you have been freely given.  Don’t hold back because of fear that you will not have enough for your own needs.  Your heavenly Father knows what you have need of and takes care of you.  Be that disciple of Jesus that gives the love of God to everyone He brings into your world.  Let all other people know that they are valuable to you because they are valuable to God!

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 10:5-15

 5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.

6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts,

10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.

11 “Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out.

12 And when you go into a household, greet it.

13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.

14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.

15 Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city! 

Ask for the Nations

Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.  Psalms 2:8

 I had a lot of time this week to think about this Psalms 2.  I know that it is a prophetic chapter about Jesus and there are many references in it about Him and to Him.  I found the beginning part to be comforting and it even makes me chuckle a little, because no matter how much the nations of the world rage and the people plot against God and His Anointed, my heavenly Father is not worried about it.  He sits in the heavens and laughs at their futile efforts to make progress against Him.

What I meditated on the most was the scripture that I selected for the key verse of this chapter.  I realize that it is speaking to the King of kings, but it says: If you would ask me for the nations, I would give them to you as your inheritance, even to the ends of the earth.  Basically, He is saying I would give You the world if you asked Me. 

Again, knowing that He is talking to Jesus because the next verse says that He will break the nations with a rod of iron and dash then to pieces like a potter’s vessel, I wasn’t sure that I could apply this verse personally.  As I thought about it, I imagined what I would do with the nations.  Why would I ask for the nations.  I considered economies and governments.  Certainly, I would want them to be ordered of God if I were in charge. 

But then I had a different thought.  What if I asked for the salvation of the nations.  Would He give that?  What if I ask to reach the nations with the message of salvation and the good news of God’s love for all people.  It was a totally new perspective and I let it marinate for a while.  How can I touch the world with salvation?  Then I realized, I am already doing many of the things like: supporting missions and sending people on mission trips.  Posting a daily blog that feeds a message of encouragement and salvation on the world wide web.  Now I am looking for ways to reach not only the world, but also to my neighborhood and town.  I am living life beyond me and I hope you will too.

Today I want to encourage you to join me in starting to pray about reaching the world with the gospel message.  Ask your heavenly Father for the nations.  He is big enough to get them for you.  Begin to pray bigger and ask for things beyond your own needs.  Ask for opportunities to send people, ask for finances to fund mission in other countries.  Ask for the words and faith to talk to others in your daily life about God’s love and provision.  Most of all, ask for a willing heart to share to good news whenever the opportunity comes. Expand your world view today from your world to the world!

Today’s scripture reading: Psalms 2

1 Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?

2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,

3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.”

4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision.

5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath and distress them in His deep displeasure:

6 “Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.”

7 “I will declare the decree: the Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.

8 Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.

9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”

10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth.

11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

Prosper

He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. Psalms 1:3

It is hard to believe that we have gone through the entire New Testament in the Daily Dose blog. I have to say, for me at least, it has been truly enlightening.  I can honestly say I have a deeper understanding now.  For the rest of the year, I will be writing the Daily Dose through the book of Psalms.  I will continue to look at the journaling series on the weekends to mix it up a little. 

In Psalms 1 we are given a powerful secret of prospering in life.  Actually, it isn’t a secret, it is right out there plainly written for all who will look at it.  It is amazing to me that this passage isn’t followed by more people since it is safe to say that the majority of people in the world want to prosper and have success in all things, myself included.  Let me list out the simple instructions written here so that we can get a better understanding of how to live a prosperous life.

1. Do not take counsel from ungodly people
2. Do not walk on the same path with sinners
3. Do not be a scornful or mocking person
4. Make God’s Word your greatest joy
5. Run to it and meditate on it day and night.

This really doesn’t seem like a hard list to live by, yet how many people actually are?  As a Christian and as God’s people, it can actually go without saying that we do not take counsel from ungodly, unsaved people.  How can they accurately advise when they do not have an understanding of Faith in the Lord Jesus and the power of God’s word in prayer to change circumstances.

Certainly, our best friends should not be people who are not walking after the things of God.  Those influences will pull you further from you relationship with Him and cause you to walk in a different direction than what He has planned for you.

A scornful and complaining person is not the person who is delighting in the Lord and therefore cannot expect to be in tune and walking out the plans of God.

Lastly is to delight yourself in the Word of God and meditate it day and night.   This is where we miss it the most.  It seems like when we have time to run to something, it is to social media, news, television or some other extra activity that we enjoy doing.  However, you will not find success in those things.  It is time to start running to God and meditating His Word.  Not just memorizing it, meditating on it.  Spend time thinking about it and letting the Holy Spirit minister it to you until you gain a more enriched understanding of how to follow God’s word and God’s plan for your life.  Yes, prayer in important, but immersing yourself in God’s word is the most effective way to make His ways your ways.

So today I want to encourage you to start following the direction of God’s word given in Psalms one.  Take an assessment of your closest friends and confidants.  Who do you go to when you need advise or encouragement.  Are they Christian friends that talk about the way of the Lord with you or are they people who make all the life decisions based on the circumstances surrounding them.  Next, make a plan and follow it on how to spend time meditating a portion of God’s word each day.  Even if it is just for 5 or 10 minutes, it will make a big difference and transform your life.  You may be thinking I do not have 5 or 10 minutes of free time each day, I am way too busy.  If that is the case, then look for pockets of time where you scroll through the news or check your social media posts.  Set those things aside for a time until you make God’s Word your first stop and build a desire to know His ways more.  He created this world so it is safe to say that He knows how to be successful in it.  Start digging into God’s Word today and I promise you will never regret it!

Today’s scripture reading: Psalms 1

1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.

3 He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.

4 The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

He was called

Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.  Matthew 10:4

Today’s scripture says that Jesus called Judas to be one of His disciples.  Judas just didn’t sneak into the group and one day Jesus looked up and said, “Where did you come from, you son of perdition?”  No, Jesus knew exactly who Judas was and even that he would one day turn Him over to the guards.  However, Jesus didn’t change His plan because of what He knew about Judas.  The call on Judas’ life was there from the beginning and stayed there until the end of his life.  If Judas had come back to Jesus or the other disciples after betraying Him and repented, he would have been forgiven just like we are today.  It doesn’t matter how many times we mess up or what we do, if we repent and turn away from sin, there is always forgiveness for us.

Today, every person has a call on their life, but not every person steps into that call.  Some get distracted and some think they aren’t good enough.  Some even think it is beneath them to maybe step away from something they have done their entire adult life to step into God’s planned place for them.  The fact is, it is our responsibility as God’s family to seek out that place in the body where we belong.  Maybe it is where we are right now, but maybe it is someplace else. The good news is that you can know and when you get into that place, there is a grace that covers you that will be evident for others to see. (1Cor. 12:11)

The thing about Judas was that he was in his called place operating in his gift.  You would think that he was in a safe place, safe from temptation and safe from evil.  But sin came to him even there and it was able to knock him off the course of being one of the disciples that turned the world upside down after Jesus’ ascension into heaven. (Acts 17:6) 

This is what we need to be on guard against always.  Of choosing the weights and sin that can lure us away from the call of God on our lives.  After you have pressed in and stepped in to your place of grace, it is still a place where you need to keep your relationship with your Heavenly Father intact.  In fact, you may need to press in a little closer to Him by spending quiet time and worshiping Him, to ensure that you do not get too busy for Him.  It is easy to get caught up in the busyness of ministry and if you are not careful, that activity can take the place of the special time you used to spend in His presence.  Then is where you will find yourself facing choices you never should have been exposed to in the first place.

Today I want to encourage you to seek out and follow Him to your called place.   Ask Him to make the path there plain and clear.  If you are already in that position, press into Him closer than you ever have before.  Use your free time to worship and talk with Him.  Don’t let the enemy lure you away with distractions like social media and even financial gain.  Trust God to empower you to be a force for the kingdom of Heaven within your call today.  If you do fall down, don’t stay down.  Quickly repent and follow the Holy Spirit back to your appointed position.  Turn you focus to helping others so that they can find their place along the way too.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 10:1-4

 1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.

2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;

4 Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. 

You are a laborer

Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:37-38

Have you ever wondered how to pray for lost family and friends?  Have you ever prayed “Lord, save them, please” over and over again with no noticeable results?  In today’s scripture reading, Jesus told His disciples exactly how to pray for unsaved loved ones.  He said to pray to the LORD of the harvest to send out laborers.  So, your prayer for the lost could sound something like this:  Jesus, Lord of the harvest, send out laborers to my lost friend __________.  Send that one person across their path that they will hear and listen to.  Send those into their life that will love them into your Kingdom and if I am the one, show me how to love them in a way that they will want to step into an eternal and personal relationship with you.

Which brings me to my second point, you are a laborer.  Maybe you are not the one that can reach your friend or family member, but you can be a laborer that someone else is praying for.  Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send you to people who others are praying for their salvation.  Pray for those you can love, encourage and lead into the Kingdom of heaven.  Ask Him to keep you aware of those in need of help and prayer.  We are all here to help each other out, so always be looking for people you can reach out to because someone somewhere is praying for their salvation.

Today I want to encourage you to remember as you go into your day that you are a laborer.  Labor together with the prayers of your brothers and sisters in the Lord.  Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborer to reach into the lives of your loved ones and pray for yourself to be a laborer to reach the loved ones of others and support other laborer.  The harvest truly is plenteous, and we are the laborers who need to go out there and bring them in.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 9:27-37

 27 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”

28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”

29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.”

30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.”

31 But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.

A Mute Man Speaks

32 As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed.

33 And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!”

34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.”

The Compassion of Jesus

35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”